Water dispersible, pre-saturated wiping products
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsJames W. Clark, Joseph Mitchell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A water dispersible nonwoven web is disclosed. The nonwoven web is produced in an airlaying process and contains pulp fibers mixed with water soluble fibers. The water soluble fibers may be, for instance, polyvinyl alcohol fibers. The nonwoven web may be pre-saturated with a cleaning solution. Once pre-saturated with a cleaning solution, the wiping product is particularly well suited to cleaning and/or disinfecting surfaces, such as toilet seats prior to use. Because the nonwoven web is water dispersible, the wiper may be disposed of by being flushed down a toilet.
Claims48
A water dispersible, pre-saturated wiping product comprising:
- a nonwoven airlaid fibrous web, the airlaid web comprising pulp fibers and water soluble fibers, the water soluble fibers comprising polyvinyl alcohol, the water soluble fibers being substantially soluble in water at temperatures of less than about 10° C., the water soluble fibers being present in the airlaid web in an amount sufficient to make the web water dispersible such that the web disintegrates when immersed in water;
- and
- a cleaning solution impregnated into the airlaid web.
A nonwoven material comprising:
- an airlaid fibrous web containing a mixture of pulp fibers and polyvinyl alcohol fibers, the polyvinyl alcohol fibers being substantially soluble in water at temperatures of less than about 10° C., the polyvinyl alcohol fibers having a length of less than about 8 mm, the polyvinyl alcohol fibers being bonded to the pulp fibers, the polyvinyl alcohol fibers being present in the airlaid fibrous web in an amount of at least 10% by weight such that the web disintegrates when immersed in water, and
- a cleaning solution integral to the airlaid fibrous web.
A water dispersible, pre-saturated wiping product comprising:
- a nonwoven airlaid fibrous web, the airlaid fibrous web comprising a mixture of pulp fibers and polyvinyl alcohol fibers, the pulp fibers comprising softwood fibers, the polyvinyl alcohol fibers being substantially soluble in water at temperatures of less than about 10° C., the polyvinyl alcohol fibers having an average fiber length of less than about 8 mm and being present in the airlaid fibrous web in an amount of at least about 10% by weight such that the web disintegrates when immersed in water, the polyvinyl alcohol fibers being bonded to the pulp fibers;
- and
- a cleaning solution impregnated into the airlaid web, the cleaning solution comprising water and an alcohol, the alcohol being present in the cleaning solution in an amount of at least 60% by weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.